Bondi_Surfer

I’m no longer any good at games, and don’t have much time to play, so an Easy mode is always my preference and greatly appreciated.

However, if I was still good at games, I’d start in Hard mode. I play through games like this only once, so if I had to play Normal first then I’d miss out on my preferred Hard mode. Crazy!

@ShadLink - if a review isn’t your personal take on a game then you shouldn’t be reviewing games. I don’t review games, and have no desire to. I merely stated my opinion, and opinions are much like butt-holes; we all have one

Enjoy the game. Or don’t. My life isn’t impacted either way, other than I prefer people to be happy - so I wish you great enjoyment!!

Different people have different opinions, and someone else’s opinion shouldn’t affect what you think of a game.

A four doesn’t mean a game is broken, it means the reviewer thought it was below average.

I can admire a game like Breath of the Wild, but for me it was a five - I just didn’t enjoy it much. But I also completely understand why for some people it was their game of the year.

Based on the videos of Kirby, I know it ain’t for me…

My ears are bleeding…

I didn’t realise the Gameboy Lego kit had only just come out. My daughter and I got it a couple of days ago as it’s school holidays (in Oz), and it’s a cracking build with great attention to detail.

She’d never seen a Gameboy before, but loved it! We then proceeded to play a few Gameboy games on the Switch 2. Good times

It’s pretty easy to fix. All they need to do is change the control scheme, inject some life into the characters, provide interesting backdrops, ditch the wheelchairs, ditch the 3 vs 3, ditch the basketball, and we’re good to go. Like I said, it’s pretty easy…

I can’t get over the basic premise - why are robots in wheelchairs?!?

If we’re getting to choose how we want to play the game, then can I have a single player adventure mode where I unlock races, just like in Diddy Kong Racing. Thanks Nintendo!!

I named my daughter Daisy, so my choice is made for me!

I wasn’t interested in DK at all when it was first shown, but now I’m 100% in! It’s out Mario-ing Mario!!

It’s gold. My nine year old daughter and I have been laughing our butts off. The racing is much the same as the last one, albeit beautiful looking and buttery smooth. But the free roam is where we’re having the most fun - especially loving the ocean wave areas!!

My Switch fitted into a neoprene wine-bottle holder - perfect for travelling!! I’m hoping I find something similar for the 2witch

I’m not here for the system, I’m here for the games. Very much looking forward to the new Mario Kart, and having never played on a Gamecube before, can’t wait to play some of those games (albeit drip-fed…)

The Nintendo store is also down in Australia

Clickable sticks is a terrible control mechanism. I gave up on BotW as was constantly ducking when trying to run.

As an older gamer, I find the number of buttons ridiculously excessive nowadays. How I miss those halcyon days of a proper control stick you can hold in your hand, with a single button to smash. Ahhh, Atari 2600 controller, you were always my favourite

Pretty much looks like the same game. I’m interested if there’s a compelling single player experience (like Diddy Kong Racing)

I loved Sensible Soccer back in the day, and Sociable Soccer was often referred to as a spiritual successor … but it ain’t. I played it twice and forgot I owned it

I got an Alarmo for my daughter for Christmas, and we really liked it, but the new features (which should’ve been there from the start) turn it into ‘loving it’ territory

Our favourite thing with the Alarmo is how the motion-detection turns waking-up/getting-up into a fun little game!

@PolitiClank
My first thought was it was a joke, but then misinformation seems incredibly popular nowadays, so I erred on the side of caution.

I make proprietary toilet roll dispensers and toilet paper - nothing that you’d use at home. It’s even less interesting than it sounds 😂

@N8tiveT3ch
The patent office can’t leak anything. They award patents and then publish them. That’s the point of a patent. The patent holder shows the world what they’re doing in exchange for the rights to exclusive use of the patent for a limited period of time.

I’ve had to deal with patents in the exciting world of toilet paper! (I wish I was kidding)

Back in the day, Diddy Kong Racing was superior in my humble opinion:

• Great single player campaign
• Strategic items where you knew what you’d get, and could use it immediately or wait to collect an upgrade

For me, I’d also add:

• An option to set all characters and karts at the same speed, acceleration etc… so you can choose any character you like and race on an even playing field
• A handicapping option, so when playing with friends locally with differing ability, you can use a slider to give each player a % of max speed. So the worst player can be 100%, and the best may choose 80% so each race winds up perfectly balanced without the need for item rubber-banding

I personally hate the way Nintendo handle items, and blue shells etc… make everything seem entirely unfair

I grabbed one for my nine year old daughter for Christmas and she loves it, even though she’s not really into gaming. It’s super cute, and the motion-detection stuff is cool.

But it really needs a few basic features added - alarm demos (you can’t preview what an alarm will sound like!?!), and a way to set multiple alarms or different times on different days - if that means setting up from an Alarmo app, then make an app!

Eric Barone is a legend! I’d be incredibly happy if more devs followed his example, working on something and only releasing when it’s ready

As for adding updates to Stardew Valley - that’s perfectly understandable, as I don’t think any creative is ever completely happy with their work, and will always see room for improvement

I’m not a farm-sim guy, but bought Stardew Valley, and have really enjoyed it thus far

I couldn’t care less which console has the most lifetime sales. The PS2 and Switch are both great game machines with many great games - that’s all that really matters

I don’t follow IGN, but watched their review video after seeing their score. And I must say that the things the reviewer didn’t like in the game are the sort of things I also don’t like (long and repetitive cut-scenes, slow camera pans of an area, too much dialogue, unfunny dialogue, etc.)

For others, this doesn’t bother them - each to their own. And I hope that whomever buys the game, loves it … but it ain’t for me

I didn’t really like BOTW, and didn’t get TOTK, but very excited for this Zelda. With limited gaming time, I much prefer a semi-linear, more guided experience. And this just looks so kawaii

How much would you have to hate your kids to take them to this!

And that’s why I preferred Diddy Kong Racing back in the day

All I really want is a proper joystick and games that can be played with one button. Give me an Atari 2600 controller and I’d be happy. The number of buttons and combos to play games nowadays is crazy - I barely remember what to do. Now, get off my lawn!

Could a News article contain any less news?

Great game. What a developer!! Can’t wait for his haunted chocolatier game as well!!

It’s gotta be April 1st…

But does it have dual audio…

Well, it can’t be any worse than the Mario movie, can it?

I was a bit bored by Wonder. I felt like I was playing just to see the next cool wonder effect, and they were cool, but it wasn’t enough - I think I’ve played the game twice, for a few hours each time, and have no strong desire to go back and play

I just need Diddy Kong Racing. That is all…

Yikes, I appear to be the worst Switch gamer. I played ten games for a total of 24 hours in 2023. Top 3:

Breath of the Wild: 7 hours
Unravel Two: 5 hours (and my favourite game this year)
Mario Kart: 2 hours

I will hang my head in shame...

Loved 1080. Played Jet Force, but can’t remember much about it. And have never played Harvest Moon - so looking forward to that. Great triple-drop!!

For me, all I want is Diddy Kong Racing, and I’d like that Mini Racing game (Beetle Adventure, or somesuch)

Apple Arcade is not just for gaming on your iTelephone or iTablet. I play on my TV (streaming with Apple TV) with my PS4 controllers, and it’s great - so I’ll definitely check this out

Worst review ever! How did it play? Graphics? Music and sound effects? Frame-rate? Where were the joys and cons?

Right, I need a drink, then I’ll go pick up my kids … (joking!)

I still haven’t collected 120 coins, and that’s taken me 25 years…

I lost many, many hours to sensible soccer back in the day. You’re goal scoring superstar hero…

My daughter is called Daisy, so she’ll be thrilled (as am I). Can’t wait!!

My daughter (7 years old) and I loved playing the first one, so will definitely get this. Similar style of chaotic fun to Overcooked, and I can’t say it ever felt chore-like

Herlock Shomes?!? Ripped straight from Lupin by Maurice Leblanc!!

Excuse the non-video game tangent...

I'm a kiwi who lived in London for many years, and would often go to Wales to watch the All Blacks. I went to the Llanelli vs All Blacks rematch (as they beat us in 1972!!), which was so much fun. And I've been in Snowdonia a few times too

The Welsh are some of the friendliest people I've ever met, and I loved every visit I ever had. As a kiwi, they were extra-hospitable, and love to talk rugby all the time (often accompanied by pub lock-ins. Shhhh)

Driving through Wales, I remember seeing Araf written on the roads, meaning to slow. and to this day, I tell people to araf-down, which is typically accompanied by quizzical looks

Apologies for the tangent, but the article got me thinking about Wales, and the many good times I had there (which is a world away as I now live in Oz)

I found the demo frustrating with its constant, pointless interruptions. I’ve never seen so much dialogue that says so little. I gave up after an hour, bored and disappointed

I’d like to say I played the demo, but I feel like all I did was hit the button to skip pointless dialogue. You’d get into the game for a minute or two, and then it stops, pulling you out of the moment for a cut-scene in which nothing but drivel is said. I gave up frustrated and bored after an hour

Great interview. I love NL articles like this

I wouldn’t play any of those mini-games for free